Hitler's primary objectives were to undo the Treaty of Versailles and secure living space in the east for his thousand year Reich. From 1935 to 1939, Hitler failed to understand the intentions of the British; he misinterpreted appeasement and consequently failed to achieve his twin goals of overturning Versailles and securing Lebensraum. To do so, Hitler recognized his need for an alliance with England. The actions Hitler took leading up to the outbreak of war demonstrated his intentions and his need for friendly relations with the British. Because the latter was not achieved, Hitler did not accomplish his goals and pulled Germany into a war for which they were unprepared to fight.

The revisionist interpretation views Hitler not as a statesman bent on total war but as an opportunistic leader whose misinterpretations led him and his nation down an unintended path. His actions leading up to the war prove that his intentions were to bolster Germany, redeem their name and secure their place in Europe.